т. Radek! Please write two words about what you think of it, and then send it to Chicherin, so that he can reply to me2*.

30/XI.

Lenin.

Published - "Izvestia of the Central Committee of the CPSU", 1990, No. 4, p. 188.

Fund N 2, op. 1, d. 27068 - autograph.

1The note is written on a letter from the correspondent of the "United Press" E. Gullinger to Lenin dated November 28, 1921. The correspondent reported with reference to the White House about the intention of the American side to invite Russia and Germany to the Washington Conference to ratify its decisions, with a request to inform Lenin's opinion on this issue.

The Washington Conference on Limitation of Naval Armaments, Pacific and Far Eastern Affairs was held from November 12, 1921 to February 6, 1922. Representatives of Soviet Russia were not invited, so the note of July 19, 1921 stated: "The Russian Government solemnly declares that it does not recognize any decision taken by the said conference, since this meeting will be held without its participation" (Documents of Foreign Policy of the USSR. Vol. IV. M., 1960, p. 225).

2G.V.Chicherin replied to V.I.Lenin on December 1, 1921: "I think that the rumor of our invitation was deliberately let out to spook France. Such huge political changes do not happen so suddenly. In fact, there are a lot of American ducks now. Briand has already denied the interview attributed to him about English battleships to catch sardines. But the fact that rumors of our invitation are possible shows how quickly we are approaching our goal. The American petty-bourgeois mass is passionately interested in disarmament, its pacifism has infected the Republican government, and it is now clear that disarmament is impossible without an agreement with us.

I consider Lapinski's news that a conference on Russian affairs will meet in January most important. This also means negotiations with everyone, for it will be all too clear that without us they will only gain Blamage (shame - Ed.).

Gullinger is the most dangerous of correspondents, will certainly lie and sensationalize. A real Nozdrev. In general, it's inconvenient to accept one and offend others. If it were timely, you should have given a collective interview to representatives of major American newspapers and groups of newspapers. But it seems to me that the situation has not been sufficiently formalized, and we do not know everything; it would be risky to do so now" (Izvestia of the CPSU Central Committee, 1990, No. 4, p. 188).

Radek's reply to Lenin has not been found.